Category Archives: Canadian wildfire

Betty Lou Fledges…Friday in Bird World

30 May 2025

Good Morning Everyone,

The highlight of Thursday was the fledge of Betty Lou, chick of Jak and Audacity, at 76 days. Oh, she had been doing some incredible hovering on Wednesday.

Nestflix Memories caught that fledge! (I wonder if Jak and/or Audacity saw their miracle chick fly for the first time?). https://youtu.be/k1egvndhupg?s

Betty Lou likes the pine tree branches!

She returned to the nest and grateful parents Jak and Audacity presented their fledgling with a whole fish, which she devoured! There was a lot of squeeing…check it out on the live webcam.

If that wasn’t enough, ‘PB’ sent me the message by Pat Burke that all three of the Duke Farm’s eaglets fledged one after the other on Thursday. Amazing!

We are just waiting for Sunny and Gizmo and the San Jose Falcons and we are just sitting on pins and needles.

One of the incredible stories of this year has been the Tweed Valley nest where two females with a single male laid their eggs. All along the two females have supported themselves, sharing fish, and tending to the eggs. The male hasn’t been around the nest for many days (but seen in the area). The females have taken turns fishing and sharing their fish. They have each cared for and fed, together or separately, the two chicks that have hatched.

You will need to join their FB group to see the video but here is a screen capture.

This may well be the year that we see females rise to the occasion and raise chicks alone – White Rock, Tempeauleau, and Tweed are three that come to mind. Can you think of others?

The garden has been busy! The Baltimore Orioles have arrived along with a host of different Warblers, to the garden! The birdsong is phenomenal. We have made a little nook to sit with Toby, and it is like being in the middle of a jungle surrounded by birds.

I sincerely appreciate your understanding and the wonderfully supportive letters I have received. Choosing to reduce the frequency of my posts from Bird World was a tough decision, but it is essential for my family’s well-being at this time. I am committed to creating Bird World updates that not only educate and inform but also keep you connected to the happenings in the nests. I truly hope you find the content I share valuable and enjoyable!

The weather in Winnipeg has been warm and sunny. In the north and east of my province, large wildfires are raging. The Province has declared a province-wide emergency. People from larger towns that are threatened with being burned to the ground are being evacuated to Winnipeg. The smoke has coloured the sky, and many people are having health difficulties due to it.

Just one image of hundreds showing Flin Flon, Manitoba. The entire town has been evacuated. (Someone flew a drone and the water cannon aircraft could not fly setting off this catastrophe!).

IIn Norway House, the only highway access in or out is on fire. This is just one of the many fires burning in the northern and eastern parts of my province. We are okay for now, aside from the smoke. Our thoughts are with everyone affected, including all the wildlife in the forests that were once their home but are now ablaze.n Norway House, the only highway access in or out is on fire. These are only two of the numerous fires burning in the north and east of my province. We are alright except for the smoke. Our thoughts are of course with every breathing soul including all of the wildlife in the forests that was once their home and is now blazing.

This is the current fire danger map for Canada. We need some of that rain that has been plaguing our raptor nests.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who reached out to check on us after hearing about the wildfire conditions in our area. Your concern means the world to me and truly showcases the strength of our community. The dry conditions are quite alarming, but there’s hope on the horizon as the forecast indicates a couple of days of rain next week.

In the meantime, I’m grateful to have Toby and Don by my side, helping to keep the garden containers watered. Our dried peas and beans are beginning to sprout, which is an exciting sign! We experimented with cayenne pepper around each planter box, but the squirrels have completely ignored it in search of cozy spots to stash their peanuts. Dyson and I definitely need to have a chat about their antics!

I’m optimistic that in a few weeks, I’ll have some stunning photos to share of our thriving climbing peas and beans, so let’s keep our fingers crossed! Meanwhile, the lilacs continue to bloom magnificently. We’ve discovered a charming, shady spot for a couple of chairs and a small table, the perfect setting to enjoy our coffee with Toby. It’s such a joy that he is now trained to go outside. Sitting there, listening to the cheerful birdsong and surrounded by the delightful fragrance of blooming flowers, truly elevates our moment of tranquillity together.

The view of some of the lilacs, the crabapple tree, and the trees at the back from inside the sitting room. This entire space is full of birds singing. It is wild. Nothing controlled by humans here, just the way the birds like it! And the rabbits, the raccoon, and the squirrels. What about those deer that visit?

One type is so gorgeous.

I’m truly relishing every moment spent outdoors. Tonight we played a captivating game of ‘Miss Marple.’ After finishing his late meal, Brock piqued our curiosity, prompting us to follow him and, perhaps, uncover his current living situation. To our surprise, he appears to be residing under the deck of a house just half a block away. This could be an ideal shelter for him, except for one drawback: he must cross the street to access our feeder.

I hope you’ve had some time to reflect on the incredible rescue at the osprey nest in Western Maryland Shore Old Town Home. How many times did we urge people to remove some of the osplets from nests around the Chesapeake Bay when food was scarce in 2024 due to the overfishing of Menhaden, the primary food of ospreys, in the Chesapeake Bay by a Canadian company, Omega? Many of you yelled at your screens when help did not come to the osplet at Colonial Bay. Of course, there were at least another hundred nests in the same situation.

It is unclear whether or not the rehabilitation of the third hatch at Old Town Home will be successful. These are some things to consider:

Young ospreys in rehabilitation have variable outcomes, depending on the severity and nature of their injuries or circumstances, as well as the quality of rehabilitation provided. While some ospreys, such as those with leg injuries, can recover and return to the wild, others may face challenges with feeding and development, which can impact their long-term survival. 

Factors Influencing Osprey Rehabilitation Success:

  • Injury or Condition:The type and severity of the injury or condition will significantly influence the likelihood of successful rehabilitation. 
  • Age and Developmental Stage:Young ospreys are particularly vulnerable and rely heavily on parental care for essential skills like hunting and flying. 
  • Access to Food and Water:Providing the right diet and ensuring proper hydration is crucial, especially for young ospreys who may not eat well in captivity. 
  • Rehabilitation Techniques:Some rehabilitation centers use innovative approaches like introducing juvenile ospreys to the concept of fish from the water through supervised practice. 
  • Release Strategies:Successful release often requires careful planning, considering factors like the bird’s physical condition and the availability of suitable habitat. 

Examples of Successful Rehabilitation:

  • Ospreys with leg injuries that regain function and are successfully released back into the wild. 
  • Young ospreys rescued from entanglements that are rehabilitated and released.
  • Ospreys that are re-nested in new nests after being rescued. 

Challenges in Osprey Rehabilitation:

  • Difficulty with Feeding:Ospreys can be notoriously difficult to feed in captivity, and some may not eat at all, making it challenging to rehabilitate and release them. 
  • Developmental Delays:If young ospreys are not properly cared for and lack parental guidance, they may develop delayed or incomplete hunting skills. 
  • Entanglements and Other Threats:Ospreys can be entangled in fishing nets, twine, and other materials, potentially leading to injuries or death. 

The third hatch at Maryland Western Shore was quite tiny and young. It had a head injury and could have had other internal injuries caused by the male stepping on its body. It was also denied food but had a large crop when removed from the nest. Looking forward to updates with the hope that this little one is another miracle of 2025.

Sadly, on Wednesday, there was some concern for the middle hatch at Maryland’s Western Shore. It has died of hypothermia. Thanks, ‘PB’, for keeping me informed of the situation.

Weather and lack of fish have plagued the osprey nests in the Chesapeake Bay area for the past few years. It is taking its toll this year. I wonder how many osprey nests will fledge their own clutch this year?

Some interesting spring migration counts and news is coming out of Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania. “Count coordinator David Barber summed the season up as follows: The count ended on a low note with three days of fog and rain. The last official migrant of the 2025 count was an unidentified raptor on the afternoon of May 12. Trainees, staff, and volunteers counted 220 hours over 38 days. The total count of 1,271 birds was 30% above the 10-year average of 980 and was the fourth highest spring count recorded at Hawk Mountain. The high day was April 18 with 581 birds including 2 turkey vultures, 6 ospreys, 3 bald eagles, 6 northern harriers, 1 sharp-shinned hawk, 12 Cooper’s hawks, a season high 542 broad-winged hawks, 5 red-tailed hawks, 3 American kestrels, and 1 merlin. The broad-winged hawks count of 885 was 71% above the 10-year average and a new record high! The count of 33 northern harriers was 61% above average and the highest count since 2013. Counts of Cooper’s hawks, American goshawk, and American kestrels also were above average, whereas counts of black vultures, turkey vultures, ospreys, sharp-shinned hawks, red-shouldered hawks, and red-tailed hawks were below average. All other species had average counts this year.”

Migration eUpdate Spring 2025 Wrap UpDownload

White Rock, British Columbia: The single Mum, together with a generous fish fairy, is keeping the two eaglets alive. I don’t think anyone would have believed that these two would live to get their thermal down, and if you look closely, you will see some feathers coming through!

Kielder Forest: The first hatch at nest 1A for parents W6 and KF13. The latest post from KF also reads, “The weather has been very poor since Saturday with strong winds and rain at times. The parents on Nest 7 have been doing a wonderful job balancing sheltering with feeding their three chicks.

Although there is rain in the forecast for Kielder Forest it should be mainly just showers with less wind and warmer temperatures.”

Well, by Thursday all three eggs had hatched at Kielder Forest. Congratulations!

FOBBV: By the time this is posted, I expect that both Sunny and Gizmo will have fledged. (more below)

Sauces Canyon: Betty Lou is ready to take to the skies, too. And as reported above, she did just that! https://youtu.be/8bsdSUkulpY?

White Rock Eagles: The two raised by the single Mum are doing fine. Thanks, fish fairy, for lending a hand and some fish!

Ely Cathedral Falcon scrape: Two eyasses this year as one of the eggs did not hatch.

Birds of Poole Harbour: An update by BoPH for us on this year’s happenings. (more below)

Osprey Webcam 2025 Update – Birds of Poole HarbourDownload

Glaslyn: It appears that it is now official. Five-year-old Teifi, the son of Idris and Telyn from the Dyfi platform, has now taken over the lead male role at Glaslyn. Aran continues to be seen in the region.

Dyfi: Idris and Telyn feeding their clutch as high winds make their way through the valley. Check out the cows below.

Birds of Poole Harbour: CJ7 and Blue 022 now have four osplets in the nest as of Thursday. The 4th hatch has already had its first fish meal.

Llyn Clywedog: The miserable weather has the two hatches of Dylan and Seren beaking one another. Let’s hope that cold and wet clears up.

Foulshaw Moss: White YW and Blue 35 are doing a good job with their three.

Trempeauleau: Mum doing a great job – all alone!

Denton Homes: The nest has dried out and we are just waiting for these three beauties to branch.

Little Miami Conservancy: Two beauties. Like the others getting ready to branch.

Cardinal Land Conservancy: These two are so ready to fly.

Cornell Red Tail Hawks: O1 and O2 are standing, walking around, and getting their beautiful juvenile feathers. Both are doing exceptionally well as we would expect with parents Big Red and Arthur. Big Red is still staying with her babies at night.

Hellgate Canyon: NG has been fighting intruders at the nest over the last days. Iris has also been coming around.

San Jose City Hall: They are ready to go. Will they take off at the same time? Like Duke Farms? (Thanks, PB, for the screen capture.)

Big Bear Valley: Jackie, Shadow, Sunny, and Gizmo were all together on the nest Thursday evening. What a beautiful family. This could be one of the last images of the four on the nest, as fledging can happen at any second.

SK Hideaways caught some of the action at Big Bear: https://youtu.be/io-MSVvvUWQ?

Patuxent River Park 2: All three chicks have perished while the camera was down for a week. Cause unknown.

Moraine State Park:

Maryland Western Shore Old Town Home: The only surviving chick of three with a big crop on Thursday.

Loch Arkaig: The latest from Geemeff on what is happening at Loch Arkaig!

Woodland Trust daily summary for Loch Arkaig Thursday 29th May 2025
Today was all about fish – plenty on Nest Two but none on Nest One. Garry LV0 did turn up where Aurora 536 had been waiting for hours – she wanted fish, he wanted to mate, and neither got their wish. This is day six of thirteen without fish, his tally is becoming slightly meaningless and remains at sixty six. Louis on the other hand is performing magnificently and delivered another five today, and as Steve’s stats show, he’s Mr Consistency as it was the same as this day last year. His tally shoots up to one hundred and twenty two. Although it appeared bob3 didn’t have much, it must be remembered that being so much smaller than the other two means needing less food, and Dorcha did take care to include all three chicks when sharing out the food. It rained today as forecast but there were breaks in the weather. The forecast is light rain showers and light winds with a low of 11°C  tonight, and light rain showers and a gentle breeze tomorrow morning, clearing in the afternoon with a high of 17°C.Night cam switches on (day cam): Nest One 23.33.57 (03.40.51); Nest Two 22.43.36 (04.03.43)
Today’s videos:https://youtu.be/1gX2u2eGvIE N2 A chick nutmegs Dorcha with a squirt! 10.00.58https://youtu.be/yZEt_-fipSU  N2 Breakfast is very late because dad’s eaten most of it! 10.09.55https://youtu.be/uJJIn3vt96o  N2 All three chicks get some of fish two 15.43.44https://youtu.be/wsqyBae4VAo N1 Aurora wants fish, Garry wants to mate, neither succeeds 16.43.03https://youtu.be/M7avkNa__fw  N2 Fish number three is finished quickly but bob3 does get some 18.53.49https://youtu.be/za_qjIHMpaU N2 Dorcha blocks the view of fish four being shared out 21.07.49  https://youtu.be/GMtWeYvN1_4  N2 Fish number five arrives – will there be another today?  22.14.10
Bonus guide – when is a wood not a wood? When it is a forest!http://woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2024/12/difference-between-wood-and-forest/

Blast from the past, this day in previous years:

https://youtu.be/JrHUpXY-a7c  N1 First chick has arrived! Happy birthday Doddie-to-be 2020

https://youtu.be/gOLg_bK_xP0  N1 First look at his chick for Louis 2020

https://youtu.be/8s40lObbaYA  N1 First really good look, and a magic moment with mum 2020

https://youtu.be/oMbnjRm-XpA  N1 First squirt just misses Aila’s fish supper 2020

https://youtu.be/OmRsqDDynoY N2 Dorcha goes for a quick comfort break, no pip visible 2022

https://youtu.be/7BLSruxJFzE   N1 Affric (Blue 152) and Prince? on Nest One 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/KBZ2QR7ya5Q  N1 Louis does a bit of nestorising 2023

https://youtu.be/wKZuLPNZEOI  N2 A close up look at the eggs – is that a pip? 2023 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/3PgLtnW4E7I N2 Rock chick song and dance 2024 (zoom)

https://youtu.be/XQA-9K4Tu90  N2 Fish number two, small whole trout, all the bobs get some 2024

https://youtu.be/UJaqA0uIc_I  N2 Louis and Dorcha have a chat 2024

https://youtu.be/RSx0V5DBRHA  N2 Bob3 starts a fight then leaves bobs1&2 to get on with it 2024

https://youtu.be/VrWzAVSrBHw  N2 Lovebirds – Dorcha gives Louis a hug 2024

https://youtu.be/38GAjtlL70M  N2 Fish number five arrives in a sunset glow 2024

Why not come and join the lively community at Woodland Trust’s Osprey forum, it’s friendly, free and everyone’s welcome:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/osprey-cam

‘A’ shares a few of her thoughts: “Did you see Mrs T brought in a huge bouquet of flowers to the Trempeauleau Eagles nest this afternoon (29 May)? I’ve never seen that before. T3 had a bit of a nibble. Mr T hasn’t stolen a fish from this nest for several days now – we hope his other nest is doing as well as this one is. 

And the hawklets at Cornell are doing well, although the younger one is still much smaller than its sibling. Plus, I thought you might like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxbrs5MplyA

Isn’t Mama kestrel gorgeous? And those hungry chicks! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGPOAL5fUZU

And Betty Lou is a wonderful outcome for a nest that has seen so much heartbreaking disappointment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbNysUP8how Such a happy family. Well done Jaks and Audacity. Perseverance pays off for darling Audacity, whose determination has made her one of my favourites as you know! I do hope her bone density is not compromised by all those fragile eggs she kept laying. 

And Jackie and Shadow are watching their pair preparing to leave the nest. Both Sunny and Gizmo are looking fabulous. It really has been a mixed season – great success for some nests and tragedy for others, including the RTHs at Cornell, usually a nest that never loses a chick.”

And than you to ‘L’ who had a Cooper’s Hawk visit their birdbath in South Carolina reminding all of us that water is essential for the birds – please put out some bowls!

Calico’s Tip for the Week: Get your legs moving! You don’t need to hit the daunting target of 10,000 steps every day; studies have shown that just 4,000 steps can keep you healthy and active. It’s crucial to maintain strength and muscle in our legs. As a wise surgeon once told my mother after her hip replacement, “If you don’t use them, you will lose them.”

This past winter, we relied on a stationary bike because the icy sidewalks made walking outside too risky. To avoid falls, we opted to stay indoors, venturing out only for short walks at places like The Leaf and IKEA.

Now that summer is here, we’re excited to take Toby out in his stroller for our walks. In just five weeks, once Toby has completed his vaccination series, we’ll be ready to let him explore on his leash, helping him maintain his fit and energetic puppy figure. Let’s stay active and enjoy the great outdoors!

The New York Times has some ideas on how to get walking.

Well 4 ways to trick yourself into taking a walkDownload

Thank you so much for being with us today. We will see you on Monday. Take care.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, Geemeff, L, PB’, Nestflix Memories, Pat Burke, Tweed Valley Osprey Project, Streetheart, Chesapeake Mermaid, Maryland Western Shore, Hawk Mountain, White Rock Eagles Community FB, Birds of Poole Harbour, Gywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Dyfi Osprey Project, Llyn Clywedog, Geemeff and the Woodland Trust, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Trempeauleau Eagle Cam, Denton Homes, Little Miami Conservancy, Cardinal Land Conservancy, Cornell Bird Lab Red-tail Hawk Cam and Hellgate Canyon, Big Bear Valley, Popular Science, IWS/Explore, Accuweather, Moraine State Park, Maryland Western Shore Old Town Home, SK Hideaways, The New York Times, Laura Rose and Trempeauleau Eagles, UK Osprey Info FB

Thursday in Bird World

12 September 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

We hope that your week has been going well.

The City of Winnipeg continues under an extreme weather warning. It is air quality – the problem is the wildfires burning in northern Saskatchewan, the province to the west of us. This is one of the predictions from the CBC: “The long-range forecast calls for a drawn-out summer with above-normal temperatures extending patio season well into October. But in the more immediate present, people are being encouraged to limit their time outdoors due to heavy wildfire smoke in the air.” We did not follow their instructions and went to the nature centre and the farmer’s market. It is late in the farmer’s market year, and the crowd there in late July has dwindled. One of the highlights was the local honey – hives from St Boniface and downtown Winnipeg. We bought little bottles of each to try before a big commitment next week – honey to last us over the winter. The late-night snack was a mug of hot chocolate (it got cool in the evening, but it will be 30 C tomorrow) with a slice of toast slathered with butter and honey. Delicious. Oh, there is something wonderful about the nip in the fall air — but sadly, our forecast is for the high temperatures to continue.

If I had been Jack in the Beanstalk, I could have touched the Canada Geese, forming their wedges and flying off Devonian Lake at Ft Whyte at noon on Wednesday. We had just exited the car when the first skein flew over us. There were about 500 on the lake resting and gathering strength to begin their migration further south. It is so amazing to see them. Of course, we did not have the camera, and my phone was charging at home for some silly reason. We will get other chances, but this morning’s flight were magical because they flew so low over the parking lot. Our dates to go and see the Goose Flights at the Ft Whyte Alive Nature Centre are ten days away and at the marsh for two and a half weeks. How many geese will there be, then?

All About Birds shows the areas for Canadian geese. When they arrive in your area, be kind. Try to get people to slow down when they are driving. Geese bond with a partner. They have emotions. When one dies, the grieving is intense. There is stress when one is taken into care, and the other does not know where their mate is.

Please stand up for the Geese. This article in Psychology Today shows how killing them (culling) is wrong! Our cities have taken their habitat. We should seriously be able to work ourselves around their poop. It astonishes me how privileged humans have become.

Why Geese Matter | Psychology Today CanadaDownload
The Hidden Lives of Ducks and Geese | PETADownload

Everything you ever wanted to know about our beloved Canadian geese: if the font size is too small on the device you view my blog, please click the link below. It should lead you to the original publication.

Canada GeeseDownload

In Iceland, Greenland, and Siberia, the Pink-footed geese, Russian Whitefronts, Barnacle Geese, Brent Geese, and Graylags to areas of the UK, mainly Norfolk. In his book The Meaning of Geese. A Thousand miles in search of home, Nick Acheson gives up a life of flying around the world. He wants to study the geese first-hand at his home in Norfolk. He rides a bicycle. I have read this book to The Girls three times, and we are starting it again. Acheson knows that with our warming planet and the tundra melting, the winter visits of these geese to the UK will stop. Precisely when that will happen is anyone’s guess. I, too, want to see them, and if you fancy geese like I do and live near the UK, you can see them from early October through the winter months. There are even some rare Red-breasted Geese that find themselves in Norfolk. They will be gone by January. Think about November! It is the best month, according to Acheson’s diary. And, if you are looking for an excellent book to read right now, The Meaning of Geese is it. You will fall in love with honkers. It gets Calico’s Golden Paw Award.

A more scientific book on migration is Flight Paths by Rebecca Heismann. This book charts the earliest research to understand migration and the people behind the research on the annual movement of our feathered friends. I find it to be a good reference book.

Let’s check and see if we can figure out which of our feathered friends are still home.

Oscar and Skylor are still at Russell Lake, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Avian behaviour dictates that Oscar remain until Skylor leaves—even if it is an hour! Typically, the males ensure all fledglings are gone before departing. I remember Blue 33 waiting several days at Rutland just to be sure.

To my knowledge, all UK Ospreys on streaming cams have departed. If I am in error, please don’t hesitate to send me a comment correcting this.

Don Dennis has done a fantastic job chasing Skylor and family around Russell Lake for everyone. Thank you!

Richmond and Tully could still be at the light stand nest in SF Bay. This recent video seems to indicate just that. https://youtu.be/hCv1bEtKTn0?

Richmond is very handsome! He does not migrate. He stays around the SF Bay for the winter while Rosie goes somewhere south? Perhaps the Baja Peninsula??

Finnegan and Antali were at the nest at 09:27 and 11:45. I bet Antali’s fish screams can be heard over the sound of the passing trains. What a character! Finnegan is keeping him fed, and the morning’s fish were caught close together. He wants Antali to be well-fed and ready for the journey south! Finnegan delivers again at 17:54. Iris has an amazing partner. What a glorious year it has been. The biggest question is: is Iris still in the area? I am hoping we will get some confirmation of her presence or absence of Iris from Dr Greene soon.

The latest from Dr Erick Greene. If you are thinking about making a donation, please read this post carefully.

C16 is at the Charlo Montana nest. The cam went back and forth to Highlights, so it is unclear whether there are any fish deliveries.

Is C16 looking down at the water and thinking of trying his luck at fishing?

I think all four ospreys are still home at Newfoundland Power’s Snow Lane nest of Beaumont and Hope. My goodness. One of those youngsters is so dark – the thickest dark 90% chocolate eyeband. Wow.

At the Sandpoint nest, River is wishing he had that double-header breakfast that Antali had at Hellgate Canyon. I have seen no deliveries by noon Wednesday.

‘PB’ has had a response from Niagara Bee. They said the osplet on the nest was killed by an eagle in the area they think is looking for a nest for next year. They are planning on fundraising to raise more platforms. I find this quite odd. Did they re-wind the video footage and see an eagle kill the osplet and leave the body on the nest? Eagles are not known for hunting at night. They hunt from dawn to dusk. We have seen them swoop over a nest and take the osplet with their talons flying off. Think of Cowlitz PUD in 2024. Owls hunt silently at night. They sometimes eat their prey, sometimes only eat the head, and they are even known for killing and leaving prey. The perfect example this year is Lake Murray’s osprey platform. One osplet survived. The obvious predator at Niagara Bee should be an owl. I would really like to see a screen capture showing the eagle at Niagara Bee.

The surviving juveniles at Niagara Bee continue to come to the nest for fish. Dad is busy providing for them!

It looks like two different juveniles are visiting the Blackbush nest, but I witnessed no deliveries at the nest. ‘MP’ identifies the fledgling in the top screen capture as the third hatch, a female who bossed her older siblings about!

Junebug is on the perch at Dunrovin while the a Magpie cleans the nest.

The Osoyoos camera was not frozen on Wednesday. One juvenile was seen at the nest early in the day. I did not see a fish delivery; however, I did not check back late in the day so perhaps some of you saw something? Let me know.

Quiet at Cowlitz PUD.

Please remember to write to your Senators and Congress representatives if you live in the US. Demand a moratorium on Menhaden fishing in Chesapeake Bay.

‘PB’ sends us the latest on the Denton triplets from SOAR:

It was raining at The Hamlet. Looks like Beau and Gabby at the nest tree. Gabby flew off early leaving Beau to protect the tree. He stayed til the rain got heavy.

I thought I had heard everything, but there is a rumour going around that the eagle visiting the nest with the necrotic feet is Romeo, Samson’s father, last seen in 2017. If you want to know the truth about who is or is not on the NorthEast Florida nest, please go directly to the American Eagle Foundation website. Click on the NE Florida nest camera and check on the chat there and check on their FB page. Please do not fall for gossip by chatters or even some that have their own FB pages.

Quiet at Chase & Cholyn’s Two Harbours nest. Will these 25 or is it 26 year old eagles breed again this year? We wait to see.

I did not see anyone at the Fraser Point nest of Andor and Cruz.

We had an extreme weather warning for the City of Winnipeg on Wednesday. It was for wildfire smoke. Speaking of wildfires, everyone’s eyes are on that Line Fire in San Bernardino County, California that is well – making us nervous about Jackie and Shadow despite the reassurances. I did not see them at the nest in the early part of the day Wednesday.

The Line Fire is one of the largest ever wildfires in the US.

FOBBV shows us the smoky valley: https://youtu.be/j-lRBiHko6M?

It is gorgeous at the Duke Farms Bald Eagle nest. Pretty quiet, too.

Pretty quiet at the WRDC nest of Ron and Rose.

If you have been missing M15 and F23, here they are getting that nest ready for a great season. Think we might have two eaglets this year? https://youtu.be/xVa-G_NzXis?

There is some action—maybe not so good—at the eagle nests in the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana. I hope they are all safe as Hurricane Francine hits southern Louisiana as a category 2. https://youtu.be/DNIIxYXSfz8?

Audubon Florida tells us that Eagle season is beginning.

Bald Eagle Nesting Season Starts October 1The official Bald Eagle nesting season in Florida runs from October 1 through May 15, but birds don’t use calendars! We’re already seeing eagles return to their nesting sites to prepare for the season ahead.

Florida hosts an estimated 1,500 nesting pairs; one of the highest concentrations of nesting Bald Eagles in the lower 48 states. Audubon’s EagleWatch program monitors more than 1,200 pairs in Florida, covering 55 counties. This growing community science program documents, monitors, and protects nesting eagles in Florida.

Eagles continue to face increasing pressures from Florida’s ever-growing human population and land development. Habitat loss due to this development, car strikes, electrocutions, and environmental toxins all threaten the health of the eagle population. EagleWatch volunteers collect critical nest data, which is shared with state and federal agencies to investigate new conservation challenges, including the movement of Bald Eagles into urban areas and the increasing use of artificial structures for nest sites. This community of volunteers ensures that eagles continue to thrive in our state.

Did you Know?

Cute little penguin escaped and is found in Japan. http://‘Miracle’ penguin found two weeks after escaping captivity in Japan https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/11/miracle-penguin-found-two-weeks-after-escaping-captivity-in-japan?CMP=share_btn_url

‘A’ brings us up to date with the Olympic Park Sea Eagles: “The littles ate a good breakfast this morning and then a good lunch. Both eaglets ate and there was no bonking or intimidation. 

Dad brought in a small/medium fresh fish for breakfast shortly after 07:46. Lady was at the ready for the feeding job, but the littles were still lying duckling style on their nest, side by side, and apparently fascinated by something on the perch branch (Dad?) and didn’t get up to come to the table. By 07:55 SE34 is up on his feet and eating, leaning across SE33’s tail to take the food.  At 07:56:45, SE33 stands up and, being closer to mum, is immediately in prime position. Lady starts feeding SE33, who is now in front of SE34. 

By 07:58, SE34 is moving forwards towards Lady. He does a little wingercising in slow motion, which somewhat takes SE33 aback, as SE34’s wings hit SE33. By 07:59, the pair are side by side at the table, looking as if butter wouldn’t melt. SO sweet. They are so cute. Mum is taking her time, eating some bites herself, and the chicks wait patiently, behaving like perfect little angels. 

SE34 keeps shuffling forwards, and just before 8am, he is rewarded with his first bite of breakfast fish. He gets three bites before Lady begins feeding the two alternate bites. Their table manners are impeccable. Lady feeds half a dozen consecutive mouthfuls to SE34, without objection from SE33, who does some stretching while waiting its turn. By 08:01 she is feeding only SE34. Again, there is no protest from SE33.

Lady soon resumes alternating bites, and both eaglets are eating well, getting their share of the fish. The feeding ends at 08:16 when Lady swallows the last of the fish and leaves the nest. For once, SE33 looks larger than SE34 as they sit side by side after breakfast. SE34’s juvenile plumage is rapidly developing, and the caramel streaks are starting to appear on the breasts of both chicks. They are exquisitely beautifully designed. Sheer perfection. 

Dad arrives just before 09:18 with more food. It appears to be feathered. He waits for Lady, who arrives a minute or so later. The eaglets are snuggled up together, and SE33 gently nuzzles SE34’s cheek with its beak. They are SO adorable. More food, and again both eaglets eat. These are big juicy bites of red meat, and after their second breakfast, both must be stuffed. 

They eat again later, in the early afternoon, and in general had a peaceful day. It was lovely to watch them together. “

And the other Australia or NZ nests: “AtOrange, the bonding session was again extremely early this morning (04:04:17). Xavier brought Diamond two prey items, and she is currently doing night duties on the eggs. Xavier had another run-in with the black-shouldered kite, who is still obviously in the area. When Xavier arrived for a brief (20-minute) stint on the eggs in the late afternoon, he had a crop Diamond would be proud of, so both ate well today. 

At Lonsdale Street, I could not see a changeover this afternoon – it appeared that dad did a long incubation stint. F24 flew up to the ledge momentarily, to be greeted by M22’s chirps, and then immediately turned and flew off again. When darkness fell, it appeared there had still been no changeover, and I saw no food deliveries to the ledge (at either end). So I am presuming food is being eaten off camera, possibly from a stash. It is a very difficult nest to monitor. 

SK Hideaways caught the gusts at Collins Street that flipped MUM!

https://youtu.be/CRJSQNiNVe8?

“At Port Lincoln, Dad brought in a headless fish for breakfast at 08:26, but apart from a small snack (small partial fish) that he delivered late in the afternoon (18:14) that was the only food for mum today. 

Both TF and TFT were fed by both parents today, so the chicks had an excellent day. They are wingercising and preparing to fledge. Isn’t it amazing that after five years or so, these male chicks will return to nest within 40 metres of the nest from which they were fledged, while the female chicks will nest, on average, about 80 metres from the site of their natal nest. That they can travel so far and for so long, returning to where they fledged from years later, is simply incredible. These chicks are carrying data collection devices that will not transmit but will collect three years of data, to which researchers will gain access when they return in five or six years’ time.  “

Calico’s Tip of the Day: Are you worried about your cat’s teeth? That happens to be one of the biggest expenses. I remember when it was $395 for a cleaning. My vet shocked me when she told me that the cleanings begin at $1300 and could go up if extractions needed to be done. With four cats, I cringe at that thought – it is precisely why we do not have five! Calico’s Golden Paw Award goes to Greenies. She likes the salmon flavour, Baby Hope likes the Catnip, and Hugo Yugo eats anything. Our bags are empty! It looks like I will be shopping.

Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We hope to have you with us again, soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, comments, images, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today, ‘A, MP, PB’, All About Birds, Psychology Today, PETA, Canada Geese, Ospreys of Nova Scotia and Connie Dennis, Golden Gate Audubon SF Osprey Cam, Montana Osprey Cam, Montana Osprey Project, Owl Research Project, Dunrovin Ranch, Sandpoint Osprey Cam, Newfoundland Power Snow Valley Osprey nest, Niagara Bee, Blackbush at Tracerdie Osprey Platform, Fortis Exshaw Osoyoos Platform, COWLITZ PUD, Menhaden- Little Fish, Big Deal FB, SOAR, NEFL-AEF, IWS/Explore.org, FOBBV, Duke Farms, WRDC, Wsprynwngs, Tonya in NO and Kisatchie National Forest, Tonya Irwin and Raptors of the World, Audubon Florida, Loon Preservation Society, SK Hideaways, and The Guardian

Cal fledges…Maya is home…Wednesday in Bird World

13 March 2024

Good Morning,

‘The Girls’ hope that your week has really started off nicely. They are enjoying all the warm weather because it means there is more squirrel and bird activity in the garden. They have a panoramic view and seem to stay out there most daylight hours.

Hugo Yugo was supposed to have her surgery on Friday at noon. It’s been on the calendar for months, but it was a ‘maybe if the vet surgeon has room’ date. So, I am waiting to hear tomorrow to see if there is space on Saturday. We wait. It is a universal problem: too few vets. Clinics are booked months in advance. Those who do reduced-cost work for the rescues take the rescue kittens when they have an open slot only.

Of course, Hugo Yugo needs her eye wipes. We use them several times a day and she still gets those little crusties. She is the loudest. Her meow could be heard in Toronto if they had their windows open! The smallest with the voice that lets you know she wants ‘something’ (normally kitten milk) and the biggest one that never makes a peep. What a group – love them to bits.

Calico does try to get away from Calico Kitty Kitty. Doesn’t she look exasperated and tired?

More Canada Geese are arriving! We can hear them honking over the conservatory as they fly into the city heading for the open water in parts of the river. People have spotted crocus coming up and they are saying that spring is really here. Having seen far too many blizzards around the beginning of May, I remain a little sceptical.

Somehow there always seems to be several small bags of bird seed in my pockets or in the car. These two have flown a long way to find the Duck Pond frozen solid at the zoo. I felt very sorry for them.

I am terribly grateful for the eaglets that we have this year. There have been many failed nests, many new dads, and many missing from major nests. Like so many others, I am grateful for Jackie and Shadow and their comic love in Big Bear. For Gabby and Beau who have had two years without eaglets but continue working on the nest. I hope Scout continues to work out for Bella….and that all the bobbleheads in the nests now fledge and thrive.

Top news of the morning. Cal, the only surviving eaglet of Clive and Connie at Captiva, fledged this morning, Wednesday the 13th of March at 0912. Thanks, ‘H’ for that great incoming news. Congratulations! Please return to the nest!

There is great news coming out of the UK. Blue NCO arrived and went fishing and caught a super Brown Trout on Monday. Another ‘queen of the nests’ arrived today in very good physical shape.

Maya, the favoured osprey to arrive first, arrived second. She appeared on the nest she shares with Blue 33 at Rutland Water’s Manton Bay on Tuesday.

Unringed Maya and Blue 33 are considered to be a super osprey couple. They have successfully raised two clutches of four to fledge and no less than 20 chicks. She had 11 chicks with her previous partner, and at least 5 of them are known to have returned from their migration. Great DNA and luck.

Here is her bio from Rutland Water. Please note that recent hatches and fledges and returns do not seem to appear.

About-the-Rutland-Ospreys-Leicestershire-and-Rutland-Wildlife-TrustDownload

On Monday, the two eaglets at Bluff City, tiny little bundles, were alone. it caused worry amongst watchers. They also did not get dinner until late. Was it intruders? Certainly, the eagles are alerting.

Oliver and Willow continued to enjoy the rabbit that Franklin brought to the nest. Oliver did bonk Willow some, but the little one did manage to get a good feed.

At Johnson City, Jolene has had good control and both of the eaglets have eaten well without a lot of anxiety. ‘J’ wonders when they got so big!

Thunder and Akecheta have high-spirited and healthy eaglets. This year Thunder is 15 years old. She hatched at the Two Harbours nest in 2009. Akecheta is 8 years old and comes from Los Pinos Nest.

I don’t know who said it first but name suggestions for the trio at the West End include: Rock’em, Sock’em, and Good Luck. I laughed til I cried.

The first two hatches are the strong-spirited chicks these two raise. They would rather bonk one another than eat. Do you remember the wonderful job Akecheta did when they had three before? Those triplets grew and thrived under his watchful care, along with Mum, Thunder. They were the 2022 hatches Sky, Ahote, and the group’s female, Kana’kini. I love how Thunder sits on them and stops feeding when they continue to act up. She will have then quiet and lined up to eat before you know it.

Gracie Shepherd caught it – all three at the West End lined up eating nice.

Lady Hawk has a montage of all the bonking battles.

Jak and Audacity continue to hope for a hatch from their single egg at Sauces.

As does Chase and Cholyn, Thunder’s parents, at Two Harbours.

At the Captiva Eagle nest, Cal really wants to spread those wings and fly. Remember that most fledges take place in the early morning or evening. Not on rainy days normally and not when the chick is overly full with a huge crop. There are always exceptions, however.

E23 is a kindred spirit of Cal. He spends more time on the branches, looking out to the wide world, and wants to fly soon. Mamma F23 might want to keep filling her first baby up to the brim to try and get him so heavy he can’t take off! Hopefully, E23 will spend much time at the nest after fledging like M15’s other fledglings with Harriet, so we can enjoy watching him grow into the eagle he will be. (No one has said he is a he…I am going by the length of the mouth in relation to the eye).

Dreaming of flying.

I have not consistently watched the Duke Farms nest. The eaglets are Leaper, the oldest, and Jersey. It looked like they were both fed today. Fingers crossed this continues. Each is using its little wing tips to balance and you will see the two spread the wings as if they want to flap them.

R6 had a nice fish meal around 1100. He is certainly spending a lot of time sitting on the rim of the nest. Branching will come soon enough.

Oh, just look at Swampy and Meadow. They are the richest 90% pure chocolate brown. Beautiful babies…well, not babies anymore. Note that deep chrome yellow colour to their feet. These two are very healthy eaglets! Very healthy.

Latvian White Tail Eagles. Mr H is bringing Milda fish gifts. I get the feeling that eggs will be here soon.

The ladies are fighting over Newman at Spirit Bluff. Lisa and intruder fought in nest box. It was not a pretty sight. Imagine those sweet eyases who do not bonk and then see the fight to the death (sometimes) for a mate and territory.

On Wednesday morning, Big Red and Arthur were actively checking out the nest bowl and the construction going on across Tower Road. We could have eggs anytime!

Thank you for being with me today. Please take care. We look forward to having you with us soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, photographs and screen captures along with the streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, H, J, SP’, Geemeff, LRWT, Bluff City-ETSU, Johnson City-ETSU, IWS/Explore, SW Florida Eagle Cam, SK Hideaways, Gracie Shepherd, Lady Hawk, Window to Wildlife, Duke Farms, WRDC, Eagle Country, Biruta Lapa, Helen Matcham, MLizGrindstaff, and Cornell RTH Cam.

Friday in Bird World

1 March 2024

Good Morning Everyone,

Gosh, I am tired! Cannot possibly tell you why, but I would like nothing better than to snuggle up with Hugo Yugo for a long sleep. Is it from waking up all night to check on Jackie and Shadow? Maybe!

Today is day 36 for egg 1 for Jackie and Shadow. The average hatch day at Big Bear is 38-39 days. It sounds windy today at Big Bear.

Oh, it was a day for pictures. Hugo Yugo was into everything. She first decided to attack Baby Hope to become the ‘Queen of the Cat Tree’. Then she modelled her ‘onesie’ – which was returned. It is a great idea, but they need one for cats. I am thinking of a newborn onesie with cut-out arms and legs. Would that work? And then there is Calico and Hope. The image is blurry. I apologise. There is something magical about these two when they are together. I still tear up, thinking of the miracle of seeing Hope find all of us. But first, they have to watch the birds! Not the real ones outside all over the feeders and the lilac bushes, but on the screen. It sounds like humans when they walk in the woods and take their phones—watching a screen.

Hope goes to the front of the telly when she wants me to turn on the Bird Video. She lays there hoping to catch my attention. She never meows or anything. Just waits patiently.

Hugo Yugo loves to watch things on the big screen, too! Especially the Blue Jays. I keep telling her we have Blue Jays in the garden. She doesn’t listen!

Then Hugo Yugo got ‘antsy’. You can see it in her eyes. She’s ready to go!!!!!!!!! Hope follows. They get to the back and the Cat tree. Hope arrives first.

Hugo Yugo pounces.

Hope has so much patience with Hugo Yugo.

Hope was relieved when Hugo Yugo was distracted by a European Starling landing on the glass ceiling.

Hugo Yugo can get awfully rough. They throw each other into the sofa and the wall and run all over the place.

Now, they are friends again.

Then it was time to try on the onesie. It was made for a tiny Chihuahua. Didn’t fit right. Still, a great idea to keep the animals from licking their incisions. We will try something else.

The light coming in from the conservatory washed this image out. But there they are in their favourite spot to be together. It is a daily ritual – sometimes several times a day. These two could never be separated. Thank you to those who sent me stories and images of their rescue mothers and kittens who, like Calico and Hope, like the comfort of one another. It is so appreciated. Thank you for sharing.

We are going to start with Eagle Country. The images say it all. I hope they put a huge smile on your face.

Second. What a couple of feisty eaglets. Johnson City. Goodness. There was even a dual feeding by Jolene and Boone on Thursday.

Waiting for eggs to hatch is nothing short of agonising. I am not even sure that I wouldn’t like long fingernails being dragged across a chalkboard more.

We are still waiting for a pip at Big Bear Valley. Jackie and Shadow do not know that more than 21,000 people watched their every move today. We checked every piece of dirt and espresso-coloured feather to see if it was a pip. We drove ourselves crazy. Is the microphone sensitive enough to pick up the cheeps from the eaglet like some others?

The eaglet at Duke Farms trying to hatch from the crushed egg has survived. It still has some shell attached as of Thursday early evening. It is breathing. The hope is that the shell will dry and break off and that the eaglet will be alright. There is a pip confirmed in the second egg at Duke Farms.

The latest: (Oh, BTW, the AI that is associated with this site seems to change the spelling for Rollin’ Rog. I do spell it correctly. Apologies for all that!)

It was not until 20:32:52 Thursday night that the little one had its head completely free of that shell. Will there be any lasting injury? Let us all send positive energy. (I was a little surprised at how Mum moved that chick about…oh, please, let us hope it is OK).

I cannot tell if the first hatch has survived at Duke Farms (I am hesitant to say that it died, but it really might have). There is nesting material all matted around. The second egg has a large pip – by Mum’s beak. We wait to see the status of hatch 1.

Avon Lake Eagles have their first egg.

Just look at that eaglet at J B Sands Wetlands. Did that juvenile plumage grow over night? Big and strong with gorgeous feathering coming in. Beautiful surviving eaglet. Glad that all is well here in Texas.

R6 is big and strong, too. ‘H’ tells me he isn’t as proficient at self-feeding as I thought he was – too bad. But, he will get there! Ron and Rose will make certain he is prepared for the wild.

Cal is doing very well. Likes to look out over the world form that branch and still loves to be fed by Mum and Dad.

Another huge and healthy eaglet is E23. Check out the size and the wingspan. How many of you are thinking female?

At Redding, Liberty and Guardian have one of their three eggs crushed on Thursday. This brought a ripple of sadness through their many fans.

Jak and Audacity’s egg looks fine. Fingers and toes – and all talons crossed, please!

The embryonic development of an eagle by Dr Sharpe. You might find this very interesting.

Raptor-Resource-Project-Bald-Eagle-and-Bird-of-Prey-Cams-1Download

Lots of information about Rita, the Bald Eagle, Ron’s former mate at the WRDC nest, that I bet you didn’t know! I learned a lot. Great little video.

I am so glad that people are realising the value of a nest’s history. Often we do not know it. So in addition to the one by Rita, there is also now a slideshow history of the Centreport Eagles.

The new Dad at Pittsburgh-Hays is so funny. He reminds me of Shadow at times.

Canada Geese. They are starting to arrive in Vancouver, and the City of Vancouver seeks to ‘lethally cull’ the geese. The Animal Alliance of Canada is against the measures proposed by the City because it, the City, is not following the guidelines they set up. In addition, Geese are protected under the Migratory Bird Act! Permission has to be given and I hope those that receive the City’s application check the accuracy of their claims.

Those who often benefit and scaremonger the public are the pest companies who financially benefit. So please read the following article. If you live in the area and this issue touches your heart, get involved. The Geese are only on land that was historically theirs. We are taking away their habitat everywhere. So, Educate yourself. Then with knowledge, not emotion, write to your local councilperson and the City Parks department. You will have to use their online forms. Please Google: Vancouver City Parks Department for those. For those living outside of Vancouver, you can voice your concerns over the lethal culling without first using the non-lethal measures set out in their own documents.

There is no proof that the number of geese will rise. Geese are susceptible to HPAI. We still have Avian Flu. I have written to Cornell Bird Lab to get the statistics on Canada Geese, their growth or decline population, and future projections. I will let you know what I find out if they answer my query.

Vancouver-Goose-Cull-Animal-Alliance-of-CanadaDownload

The Canada Geese are also now arriving in Manitoba amidst cold temperatures and snow. Is this early for Oak Hammock Marsh? Here are the statistics for the last 25 years.

‘H’ tells me that Lori Covert has decided to name the new female at the Captiva nest despite the fact that she has not laid an egg. Her name is Edie after Edith. If you can’t read the text below from Lori’s Instagram, she says that she is keeping with the tradition of naming the birds after family relatives. So this is Edie pronounced ‘eedie’ which is for her Uncle Jack and Aunt Edie.

There is some good news coming out of EuroNatur but, as Geemeff, asks, what is the point of designating an area a national park and then stealing its water? Doesn’t that sound quite wrong to you?

Better-protection-for-the-Balkan-lynxDownload

As we move into osprey nesting season, it is good for us to conjure up the images of Dr Greene and his teams in Montana clearing osprey nests and trying to save the osplets bound up in baling twine. Baling twine is used to secure hay and straw bales in farming areas. It is made of various materials, but it is deadly to ospreys. They gather it up – it seems they love the plastic orange twine, and they take it to their nests. It is there that their chicks get wrapped up in this deadly mess.

There must be an inventor out there – maybe it is you reading this – who can figure out a way to secure hay and straw bales without using twine or any plastics that would injure or kill wildlife. Just imagine if some of the billionaires spent some money on working to save our wildlife instead of sending rockets into space. I wonder what we might discover!

Ahead-of-ospreys-return-Flathead-Audubon-raises-alarm-over-bailing-twineDownload

Everywhere we turn, there is something ready to kill our wildlife, our insects and bees that pollinate our plants that help us to survive. And there are government agencies that continue to approve such toxins as Neonicotinoids. Please note, “Despite nearly 15,000 people calling for better support for farmers and wildlife, the UK Government recently approved the use of a bee-killing pesticide (known as a neonicotinoid or neonic) on sugar beet crops in England for the fourth year in a row. For our February edition of Wild LIVE, we will be discussing why more than a third of sugar beet farmers chose to not use the chemical in 2023, and how we can support more to make that transition and stop the reliance on these hugely damaging pesticides.”

In this instance, this is about sugar, sugar beets, and British Sugar. Here is an interesting discussion on how easy it is to ban this pesticide and still have sugar. (Manitoba grows a lot of sugar beets – now I wonder if they use these deadly poisons on their crops. I must check that.)

If you live in or near NYC (or just want to be there and live half way around the world), think about joining the others in a tribute to Flaco – an Owl who brought many together through its hope and resilience.

From Port Lincoln, Giliath has been filmed bathing near the Yacht Club and Ervie has been visiting Boston Island frequently.

Spring is in the air in San Jose! If you don’t believe me, just ask Monty and Hartley!

Thank you so much for being with us today. We hope that you enjoyed about hearing the comings and goings of some of our favourite raptors. Take care. See you soon!

Thank you to the following for your notes, posts, articles, videos, screen captures, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘Geemeff, H, J, N’, Eagle Country, Johnson City-ETSU, FOBBV, Gracie Shepherd, Duke Farms, Avon Lakes, JB Sands Wetlands, WRDC, Window to Wildlife, SW Florida Eagle Cam, FORE, Baiba Graustina, Raptor Resource Project, Marathon Wild Bird Centre – Crane Point, Bald Eagles of Centreport, PIX Cams, Animal Alliance of Canada, Oak Hammock Marsh, Lori Covert, Euronatur, Flathead Audubon, WILD LIVE, Dimi Belchev, BK Dave, Port Lincoln Ospreys, and SK Hideaways.

Mini and More…Sunday in Bird World

20 August 2023

Good Morning Everyone,

My goodness. At 2000 the garden just lit up with visitors -two Ruby-throated Hummingbirds came to feed on the Vermillion plants. They are on their migration, coming down from northern Manitoba, feeding in Winnipeg, and continuing southward. Then the Cooper’s Hawk that was on the Conservatory roof a couple of days ago flew in and landed in the lilacs, being ever so quiet -hoping to get a snack before light’s out. The Blue Jays and Sparrows are quiet ten minutes later, as are Dyson and Gang, who were scurrying around when the hawk arrived. I was watching to see if Calico would return for a snack.

Heavily cropped and poor lighting.

11:36:58 Saturday. Minnesota Arboretum chick takes to the skies. Mum is still waiting – late Saturday afternoon – for her baby’s return. Get a fish Dad!

The osplet returned to his waiting Mum at 18:11! Well done. Congratulations!

The youngest osplet at Charlo Montana C15 also fledged on Saturday and it flew when the Highlights were on.C15 has returned to the nest.

‘A’ alerted me to an incident Saturday morning with Mini. Mini had flown to the perch from the brewery side of the road and was chased by one of her siblings, who forced her off the perch and onto the nest—very aggressive behaviour by 3 who spent the night on the north perch chattering. Mini will later get a fish and eat it without incident- 0658.

Mini went on to enjoy her morning fish. She ate every bite.

1417:

By 1600 that left leg is causing Mini considerable discomfort.

1711: Dad brings Mini a nice live whole goldfish! Thanks for the notification ‘L’. Hang on, Mini! Dad has a really nice crop…good for you, Dad. You have been so incredible this season feeding a family of six!!!!!!!!!

Look at our girl hold that fish down with that right talon. Way to go, Mini!

At 1735, twenty-four minutes later, our gal is ready to hork that fish tail. Down it goes at 1736.

Holding the fish down tight with the right foot has allowed Mini to eat much faster and she did not lose the fish over the nest. So proud of you, Mini.

Mini finished that up and flew off only to return to the nest a few minutes later. We can see her nice crop. She wants another goldfish – fish calling to Dad!

Good night, Mini!

After Three had left the nest, Dad delivered a big fish to Mini. S he was jumping all over the nest in excitement as he arrived. She ate every bit flying off with the tail. Mini is doing so much better with her feeding now that she is holding the fish down with that right talon.

Clean up crew arrives.

Wow. There were so many fish deliveries on the Sandpoint Osprey nest and my goodness, the Mum fed the osplet rather well in comparison to other days. No one was hungry. At 1533, the 7th fish arrived on the nest. Unbelievable.

Coco has a big wingspan and is flexing those wings getting them strong. There was a good ‘ps’ around 11:11 as well.

Looking good at the Dunrovin nest with fledglings continuing to return and screaming for fish from Swoop and Harriet. What a beautiful day they had in the mountains.

‘H’ has some good reports for us! As always, thank you for keeping such a good eye on these nests.

Fortis Exshaw – “After missing the only fish delivery to the nest from Louise on 8/18, a very hungry Banff wisely decided to forgo an early morning flight.  She was waiting on the nest when Louise delivered a ‘whale’ fish at 1001.  That fish was equal to 2.5 to 3 fish.  Oh my goodness, the temperament of teenage ospreys . . after taking possession of the fish, Banff lunged and flapped at her mom to get her off of ‘Banff’s nest’!  Lol, Louise understands . . this is not her first rodeo with teenagers.  Banff feasted on the huge fish on-and-off for several hours, and never let go of it.  There was at least 1/4 of the fish remaining when Louise delivered another fish at 1509.  A very excited Banff celebrated with a couple of high hovers while holding the fish!  Banff ate some of the new fish, but she was not very hungry.  Then at 1728 an intruder decided to harass Banff.  Banff was buzzed with close fly-bys four times, then Banff quickly flew off the nest to avoid potential harm.  Good girl.  She left a partial fish and a nearly-whole fish on the nest.  Banff did not return to the nest for the rest of the day, and the intruder did not take the fish.  Banff will have breakfast already waiting for her in the morning.  Stay safe Banff, wherever you are.”

[News has come in that Banff was taken off the nest and dropped at the side by the intruding Osprey at 0622 this morning. Thanks PB].

Osoyoos – “Olsen brought two fish to the nest,  The first fish at 0837 was a huge headless fish that lasted nearly two hours.  And the second fish at 1400 was also a good-sized fish.  At 54 days of age, ‘Junior’ was doing some high hovers, and at 1833, s/he was completely out of view of the cam for a few seconds.  Keep an eye out . . Junior just might fledge today!”

Forsythe – After having not been seen for 20 straight days, mom Opal made a surprise appearance on the nest at 0909.  And guess what? . . Oscar brought her a fish!  How cool is that?  Oscar to his gal: “See ya’ next year, honey. Stay safe.”  It was wonderful to see Opal again before she starts on her long journey.

Barnegat Light – “Here’s a photo of the multi-talented fledgling, Dorsett, as “captain of the ship.”  And, after she was not seen on camera for two days, Daisy was on the nest in the morning.  Later in the afternoon, Daisy delivered a fish to Dorsett on the nest.  Nice to see you, Daisy.”

Severna Park – “There has only been one fledgling seen on the nest for the past five days.  We cherish every chance that we get to see her and her dad, Oscar.”

Thank you again, ‘H’. It is that time of year when, as you said, it is always a pleasure to get a glimpse of the youngsters and their parents.

It looks like Diamond was hungry when, after turning down the European Starling, she finally accepted it!

It was not typical behaviour for Louis to be away from the nest and not delivering fish to his youngster/s. Ludo was certainly getting anxious. The weather was terrible and the water choppy. What relief when lewis shows up after a two day absence…

The weather has been terrible in Wales, evens Aran is out there fishing!

Louis has been delivering to Ludo today. I wonder if the water is as choppy at Loch Arkaig as it has been. Fish 2.

We are still waiting – and so is Dad – for the first egg at Port Lincoln. The good news is that Ervie is back in Port Lincoln!

As of 2330 Saturday in Canada, this is the situation at the Sydney Sea Eagles as reported by ‘A’: “

Breakfast was very late this morning – around 11.25 – and the fish took 15 minutes for Lady to feed to SE31. There were no bites for SE32, not even a little one, though to make up for it, he got beaked and lifted off the ground by its back and its neck several times. SE31’s viciousness is increasing. Today, when both were hungry, SE31 was a little stinker, really hurting little SE32 when she lifted him up by the loose skin between his shoulder blades. SE31 had literally mouthfuls of feathers to spit out on several occasions. Little SE32 crept forward and around and did everything possible to get near mum but to no avail. SE31 beaked him wherever he tried to go. Just as Lady left the nest, all food gone, SE32 makes it up to the empty table. Poor little mite looks so sad. We need a large lunch fish fairly quickly, as that was not a large fish and we need SE31 to be too full to eat before SE32 is going to get anything at all. He had a bad day yesterday food-wise and we really need him to eat this afternoon.”

Later news: “So there were three small whole fish brought in between 11:25 and 13:06 and SE32 got one small piece. This situation is worsening, and although SE32 is getting up to the table, he is too scared to raise his head once he gets there. He rushes up to the table to try and find leftovers he can self-feed but there have been no leftovers for him to find over the past 24 hours, so this is not helping him right now. SE31 keeps a close eye on him, so if he found food to self-feed, SE31 would probably be up there joining in without moments! And he makes sure SE32 stays in submission during feedings by simply leaning over him (and sometimes grabbing a beakful of feathers and shaking him violently, even picking him up off the ground, his little feet flailing to gain traction).” Thanks, ‘A’. I h ope the situation changes quickly

Let us all hope that little 32 gets some courage and a lot of fish!

At Taiaroa Head – home of the Royal Albatross Colony, Manaaki gets wonderful feedings two days in a row!

One of my heroes that fights for wildlife and whose early love of Kestrels keeps him going in the face of death threats is Chris Packham. There is a really good article in The Guardian today about this man who is one of the founders of Wild Justice.

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Thank you to everyone for being with me today. As the wild fires grow in Canada, please keep all of our feathered friends (and the humans and other wildlife) in your thoughts. Take care! See you soon!

Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ‘A, H, L’, Mn Landscape Arboretum, Charlo Montana, PSEG, Sandpoint, Dunrovin, Fortis Exshaw, Osoyoos, Wildlife Conserve of NJ, Severna Park, Forsythe Ospreys, Cilla Kinross, Geemeff and The Woodland Trust, E Lewis and Glaslyn Osprey Group, Geemeff and the Woodland Trust, Port Lincoln Ospreys, Sydney Sea Eagle Cam, Lady Hawk and the NZ DOC, and The Guardian.

Wildfires and Wildlife…

5 August 2023

Good Morning, again!

I missed one of ‘H’s reports this morning and it brings up some interesting questions about wildfires and wildlife. Is Mr O and Fortis Exshaw a victim of the Alberta wildfires? Did he lose his family?

‘H’ reports: “

There were a lot of intruders, and there was a lot of ‘bonding’, but there were few fish.  At this time in the season one would think there would be fewer intruders, but that is not the case at the Exshaw nest.  All the recent wildfires have surely destroyed many osprey nests.  We have always believed that O’Hara was an experienced male, and that perhaps he had lost his family.  Is it possible that O’Hara was a victim of the wildfires, and he lost his home and family?  After all, O’Hara was an ‘intruder’ before Louise accepted him.  So, while all these intruders are a real nuisance for this Osprey family, I have a little empathy for them too.Louise and O’Hara were on the nest many times warding off intruders, and the intruder issues most likely prevented them from bringing more fish to the nest.  There were two fish delivered, but it was not possible to tell which adult delivered due to the video pixelation.  Banff acquired the first fish at 1149, and unfortunately with such a long time span between fish deliveries, Banff also grabbed the second fish at 1901.  Banff is bigger, stronger, and more dominant.  Fish need to be delivered to the nest more frequently and closer together for JJ to get a fish, or Louise could keep a fish and feed JJ.  Let’s hope JJ will have lots of fish to eat today.  And then there was the bonding.  I lost count, but O’Hara landed on and stood on Louise’s back at least a dozen times.  He did not attempt to mate, but Louise was submissive and bowed a couple of times.  JJ asked Banff, “Hey Banff, what is he doing to Mom?”  Banff replied, “Beats me JJ, I’ve never seen anything like it!”

In Canada, as these fires still burn, we will never truly know the full extent of the devastation to wildlife. There are so many remote areas of my country that have been turned to ash.

“Unfortunately, some animals do die in wildfires. Typically, the fallen are slower moving species, like porcupines, or young animals, like nestling or fledgling birds, who are unable to escape. Often the animals who don’t survive wildfires die as a result of smoke inhalation, oxygen deprivation, or serious injuries. Animals, including birds, might also suffer from heat exhaustion and dehydration.” (BC SPCA)

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There are some good articles…and one of the saddest things about some of the fires has been that they were started by humans.

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One of the provinces to be the hardest hit is Quebec and it is predicted that it will take decades (or more) for their biodiversity to return. It has been one of the saddest wildfire season in Canada.

“As of its most recent update, the interagency fire center has recorded 4,241 wildfires since the beginning of 2023. The fires have scorched at least 11 million hectares — or over 27.1 million acres — of land across Canada this year.” (CBS News, 19 July 2023)

There are currently 885 fires burning in Canada.

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Thank you to ‘H’ for her great observations about Mr O at FortisExshaw. If he is a wildfire survivor and lost his family, he became a saviour to Louise and her two chicks. Our heart goes out to all the other wildlife families who lost members and who continue to struggle.

Thank you to ‘H’, Fortis Exshaw, the CBS, BC SPCA, Kare 11, the Toronto Star, USFWS for their reporting on these tragic events.